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Post by IAMCAPER on Jan 11, 2006 8:48:39 GMT -4
Great link Dauphineer!
Did you attend this meeting? I heard nothing about it on the radio or by word of mouth.
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Post by NewsHound on Jan 11, 2006 9:40:03 GMT -4
What I can't understand, for the life of me, is why in the hell would MLA's Cecil Clarke and, especially, Rodney MacDonald support the strip mining practices, other than to just support their party rather than the people who put them in a place of power!
Mr. Clarke I can see supporting in a way because he is the Minister of Energy for Nova Scotia but for Mr. MacDonald, who is Minister of Tourism, Culture, and Heritage, to support strip mining is absurd.
Does Mr. MacDonald truely feel that by levelling our forests is beneficial to tourism in Cape Breton, not to mention the impact it will have on the eco-system?
When I see advertisements promoting Nova Scotia, it's obvious that images of Cape Breton are being used to help draw tourists to Halifax.
I can't speak for everybody here but I, for one, am tired of this current government and it's practice of using Cape Breton as a platform to first get elected by promising to put an end to monies going to that little island east of Nova Scotia, and now as a means of supplimenting the energy needs of all Nova Scotians. The only reason Nova Scotia is in this situation is because of the total screw-up of the offshore by the PC Government.
As for the jobs these strip mines promise, because of the machinery being used, the amount of jobs created are a fraction of what I feel supporters of the strip mine are expecting. Also, we can expect no more than 10 years of work out of each strip mining site so unless they move on from one location to another the long term benefits are non-existent.
My 2 cents.
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Post by dauphineer on Jan 13, 2006 15:40:04 GMT -4
Yes I attended the meeting in Millville on Jan. 4th. It was quite an extraordinary display of democracy by the people, especially considering that it was called on short notice over a holiday weekend. The Cape Breton Post and Halifax Herald had an article about it on the 2nd and after on the 5th. Most of the news articles are posted at www.c-a-s-m.org/news.htmThe Citizens Against Strip Mining have a telephone list and also send out flyers in the mail notifying local residents of upcoming public meetings. If you would like to be added to the list, join the picket line at Cecil's office or volunteer to help in anyway, contact info@c-a-s-m.org . Notices of upcoming meetings are also posted on the top of the Home page. Pass the word, and hope to see you all there to help preserve Cape Breton from devastation mining!
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Post by dauphineer on Jan 13, 2006 17:00:59 GMT -4
Newshound, it took several months of public pressure to force Cecil Clarke into holding information workshops followed by a public meeting on the strip mine proposals at Memorial High School last summer. He set up one microphone for people against strip mining and one microphone for people who were for it. So many people lined up against it Clarke didn’t have time to listen to them all, said he had to drive back to Halifax. No one got up to speak at the mike for strip mining. It was a public relations disaster, if anything it convinced more people to oppose the proposals. Clarke has been in hiding ever since. The CASM committee believes that you have to see for yourself the devastation that strip mining has already caused in CBRM to fully understand the problem. They contacted all the area politicians and offered to give them a tour of Point Aconi and Alder Point and Little Pond and Florence and Halfway Road etc. Everyone from NDP leader Darrell Dexter to the federal candidates have taken the tour except Cecil Clarke and Rodney MacDonald. After last week’s meeting in Milville, neighbouring MLA Gerald Sampson invited them again and suggested they fly in by government helicopter if they feel afraid or intimidated: www.c-a-s-m.org/newsreps/sampson01-05-06.htm Federal MP candidate for the riding fiddler Howie MacDonald is the only Tory who dared to set foot in the meeting in Millville last week and even he looked very uncomfortable. He asked CASM for more information because he and Rodney and Cecil and Premier Hamm were all at a Tory fundraiser in Baddeck this Wednesday the 11th. Howie and the other area politicians and candidates who were at the Millville meeting have promised to meet again with CASM’s committee after the federal election so stay tuned! Methinks if you follow the money from Pioneer Coal’s John Chisholm to the PC party’s treasure chest might explain why they approved his proposal despite unanimous local opposition to it. Last Saturday there was an article about the issue in the Cape Breton Post by CB author Rannie Gillis, the second part of the article will be in tomorrow’s paper. The Halifax Herald is sending a reporter to take CASM’s tour next week so keep an eye out for that report too. Hopefully more public awareness of the issue will prevent another tar ponds environmental disaster in the making, regardless of who's running things in Halifax.
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Post by coralee on Jan 14, 2006 21:31:11 GMT -4
Great link Dauphineer! Did you attend this meeting? I heard nothing about it on the radio or by word of mouth.
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Post by coralee on Jan 14, 2006 21:36:58 GMT -4
STRIP MINING IS PURE DEVASTATION AS IN THE PAST. HAVE WE NOT LEARNED FROM PREVIOS MISTAKES IN THE PAST. WE HOPE TO SAVE OUR ISLAND FROM THIS DESTRUCTION . WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A LONG AND HARD BATTLE AGAINST OUR PRESENT GOVERNMENT AND THEIR OFFICIALS WHO DO NOT CARE HOW MANY CAVERNS THEY CAUSE OR WHERE THE WILDLIFE WILL GO . OR WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE WATER IN OUR WELLS. I AM SO FURIOS THAT ANYONE IN THERE RIGHT MIND COULD EVEN CONSIDER STRIP MINING THIS BEAUTIFUL ISLAND OF CAPE BRETON
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Post by IAMCAPER on Jan 15, 2006 11:16:56 GMT -4
Well, based on the information I've seen thus far, I have yet to see the benefits of strip mining other than the low-cost coal obtained by the company doing the mining. I have seen some photos of green pastures which have been created after the mines were "filled in" using the same earth which was dug up before the mining. The result of this, according to a US Military study, was the blockage of streams, and destruction of natural habitat for some species but also the creation of some wetlands and marshes for others.
However, I have also seen the Little Pond site and there have been no beneficial habitats created there.
Will you all please keep us informed of any updates?
Also, if anybody has anything to add to the thread in favour of the strip mine please feel free to post. This forum is open to all.
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Post by dauphineer on Jan 16, 2006 14:22:02 GMT -4
Cape Breton’s coal is cheap because it’s dirty, it’s so high in sulphur that it cannot be burned in Nova Scotia’s power plants, that’s one reason why the mines were closed and NSPI imports “clean” coal instead. NSPI’s CEO says it’s cheaper to import clean coal than it is to rebuild the existing generating stations with the latest technology. NSPI has made no commitment to buy Cape Breton’s dirty coal from the proposed strip mines and the question remains who will?
Pioneer even states in their application that unless they can mine this dirty surface coal non-stop 24 hours a day as soon as possible then “the coal resource will not be maximized because of future reductions in SO2 emission levels and the economics of the project will be negatively impacted to the point of not being feasible.". Do Cape Bretoners really want to be part of the problem instead of the solution when the Kyoto emission standards take effect? The coal dust generated by strip mining doesn’t just disappear, it lands on our farms and fishing grounds. Our local industries like the lobster fishery and tourism are sold on the international market. The pubic perception of Cape Breton as the strip mining capital of eastern Canada will certainly damage those industries. And for what? For the couple of strip mining jobs that might be created how many local fishing and farming and tourism jobs will be lost? When coal is exposed to air and water it produces toxic acid mine drainage, or “copperous water”, and there’s no adequate solution for it, that’s why strip mining is banned in many places.
According to Pioneer’s registration document, the underground tunnels at the old Prince Mine site are expected to reach their capacity of acid mine drainage in 2008. To solve the problem the Province has approved Pioneer’s proposal to spend the next 7 years strip mining 210 hectares around the site, including wetlands, creating even more acid mine drainage, then toss in some limestone and bury the toxic problem for future generations to solve.
Meanwhile, what happened to the $150 million that the federal government gave the province to clean up the old DEVCO mine sites before we have an even bigger than the tar ponds environmental disaster on our hands? How long will we be able to live in CBRM if the province continues to exacerbate the problem and our water supply becomes contaminated with untreated acid mine drainage spilling out of old underground shafts and new surface mines all over the region?
If anyone has any legitimate arguments to justify strip mining our island so that Pioneer’s John Chisholm can make a quick buck to donate to his favorite politicians before the Kyoto emission standards kick in then by all means let’s discuss them and see if they should be believed, preferably before instead of after it’s too late to stop the pillage and rape of Cape Breton.
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Post by dauphineer on Jan 16, 2006 15:11:39 GMT -4
High sulphur content was one of the main reasons that Donkin was closed too. As Xstrata said, it’s “complex” to mine. The high sulphur creates methane that can spontaneously combust. Cape Breton miners looking forward to jobs if Donkin’s undersea mine is re-opened should listen to what Xstrata’s Jeff Gerard said both times he came to Donkin last year when the Province was to announce its decision to approve his proposal: The jobs the miners hope for are radically different from those of their forefathers, cautions Gerard. "We need a new breed," he said. "It's more technological nowadays than it has been in years gone by. It's certainly much more highly educated and it using equipment and computers that really has evolved over the last few years in the industry." There's also the question of whether the United Mine Workers union will be welcomed back. Elsewhere in North America, the company has drawn fierce criticism from the United Steelworkers, whose leaders have claimed the firm employs union-busting tactics. Gerard said he's willing to meet Bob Burchell, the local spokesman for the United Mine Workers, for talks. "The union has approached me today, and I said we're quite happy to sit down and talk to them," he said. "But I noted it's all about value. It's all about every step we take we have to add value to the outcome." 72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:AWMuIC7qn-IJ:www.mytelus.com/news/article.do%3FarticleID%3D2116060%26pageID%3Dcp_business_archive+Xstrata+Donkin+Jeff+jobs&hl=en While Jeff Gerard traveled to Donkin all the way from Sydney, Australia twice to meet with the community and miners union regarding the government’s announcement, apparently Pioneer’s John Chisholm has yet to show his face this side of the Causeway from Antigonish even though “public consultation” is one of the “conditions” for the government’s approval of his strip mining project. With the area’s MLA also missing in action what’s a concerned citizen to do but sound off? Thanks to Caper Corner for giving us all the opportunity to do so!
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Post by IAMCAPER on Jan 18, 2006 14:39:39 GMT -4
This may have already been addressed but what, if anything, has been said my any of the local politicians regarding what they plan to do if they are elected?
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mrk
New Member
Posts: 7
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Post by mrk on Apr 7, 2007 18:16:41 GMT -4
With regards to strip mining of Boularderie Island....Is the environment worth the economy?No. Keep in mind that it is not the coal they need, its the hold....for disposal of sewage sludge from Halifax. bio-solid material....... Cecil Clarke, the MLA for CB North could have stopped this disaster. he didn't even try. He ignored his constituents of Pt Aconi, Boularderie Island. And Paul MacDougall is a turn-coat. Go to www.c-a-s-m.org for more info on Paul MacDougall and his CLC( citizens laison committee) He has never met with the citizens of Boularderie Island. In fact he doesn't even live here. At one point Mr MacDougall was in the truck with the site manager , Mike Jessome , when they went after a photograper with his truck. nearly hit her. They have been using 1929 strongarm tactics in their commuication with the public. They have built roads through wetlands with contanminated materieal from the site that they are suppose to be cleaning up. They are not cleaning it up. they are preparing it for strip mining. Imagine now that they said they werte going to make the areas safer for the communities by taking the old bootleg crockpits, that are maybe 4-5 ft deep and digging them to depths of 160-180 ft deep.....we believe they plan to dump sewage sludge from Halifax harbour clean up and sewage treatment facility and bury it all in Pt Aconi and the other 14 site on Cape Breton Island. There are already 29,000 bags of oil saturated rags buried in The Brogan site. Therte also seems to be 155 million dollars missing somewhere....this was federal funds alocated for the clean up of the Prince Mine Site.... No body knows where that went. somebody got it.
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mrk
New Member
Posts: 7
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Post by mrk on Apr 9, 2007 19:43:18 GMT -4
There is a very real possibility of the province allowing the disposal of sludge from across the province to be disposed of in the open pits that are generated by strip mining.....there will be at least 29,000 acres dug up. Sludge from the Halifax Sewage Treatment, the Halifax Hbr. clean up, sludge from Stora and sludge from NSP power plants to name just a few. The list is probably endless. One of the Managers of DNR, Mineral Resources has already said that he has an endless supply of sludge. But I do believe it is headed here. We will be the toilet for the Province of NS. I sure hope the people don't allow this to take place What a d**n shame.
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Post by IAMCAPER on Apr 9, 2007 21:09:48 GMT -4
Hey mrk,
Can you substantiate this info? We can reach a lot of people if this info can be substantiated. I'd certainly hate to see this happen but have not heard anything thus far.
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mrk
New Member
Posts: 7
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Post by mrk on Apr 10, 2007 10:03:03 GMT -4
Your dealing with a government who will tell you nothing. And what they do tell you are lies. A report back in 2000 from the HRM indicates the use for this sludge/bio-solids cannot be used for agricultural purposes, but can be used for landfill sites and mine reclamation sites.
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